I am investigating the extent to which the lifespan of a small nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, can be altered by mutation. Since may harmful mutations having nothing to do with aging processes could shorten the lifespan, my method of attack is to look for mutants whose lifespans are longer than normal. My strategy is to characterize aging changes seen in the wild-type organism so that I can then set up procedures to select for worms that show delayed onset of these changes. For example, as the normal worm ages, it becomes infertile, slows down, and pumps food through its pharynx more slowly. Therefore I will try to select for organisms that stay fertile move quickly, or pump quickly when they are old. Hopefully, such worms will live longer than normal. I am also investigating ways to grow large numbers of worms that are all the same age in order to be able to do comparative biochemistry on wild-type and mutant worms as they grow old.